The unique program of the Statesman Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to provide quality residential education to meritorious students of the state was kick-started by Punjab Education Minister Dr. Daljeet Singh Cheema here today with unveiling of vision paper that focused on grooming students of these schools to crack competitive exams like IIT JEE, AIPMT, CA, Company Secretary besides the premier Civil Services exams.
Felicitating the students at Senior Secondary Residential School of Meritorious Students at Sector 70 here, Dr. Cheema said that these students are the cream of intellects selected from all over the State and it was the duty of education department to ensure that they excel in their chosen academic fields. He said that education department has already organised specialised and inpidual coaching classes for meritorious students and hoped that with the collective efforts these students would bring laurels to the state by cracking premier competitive exams.
Interacting with students from non medical stream, Dr. Cheema motivated them to cracking IIT should be the goal of all students as Punjab government is ready to provide additional support and academic coaching to these students. He also gave a call to medical stream students to academically excel in their studies to become doctors. He said that after becoming doctor they can serve the society, state and country.The Education Minister also took a round of state-of-the-art laboratory, library and hi-tech class rooms to gauge the arrangements and facilities for these students.Emphasizing the need for nurturing the talented grass root level he said that education department has already initiated a scheme to spot such talent at a younger age so as to groom them according to their potential.
Project Director of Residential Schools Lt. Gen. K.S. Bhullar (retd) apprised the minister that the session in 6 residential schools has been commenced. He said that free education, hostel, food and other facilities were being provided to these students. He informed the minister that as many as 331 students have got admissions in Mohali Residential School out of which 225 were of non medical stream, 54 of commerce and 52 of medical where well-qualified and expert 18 teachers have been deputed. He said this school has been constructed at the cost of Rs. 28.16 crore having four buildings with separate residences of staff, girls and boys students.
It was also informed that special arrangements have also been made for the facilitation of physically challenged students in school premises according to their convenience.dr. Cheema was accompanied by Mr. Gurdeep Singh, Special Secretary, Mr. Kamal Garg, DPI (S), Mr. Mewa Singh Sidhu, DEO (S), Mr. Gurjit Singh, DEO (E) and Mr. Resham Singh Aulakh, Principal, Senior Secondary Residential School of Meritorious Students.